AMENDED: Defining Saudi Arabia as a crucial ally against Iran, and a buyer of US arms, Donald Trump lamented Khashoggi’s“unacceptable” death, but welcomed Riyadh determination to investigate the assassination, making the first arrests in the ongoing probe, he also indicated his reluctance for “retribution“.

“I would prefer if there is going to be some form of sanction, or what we may determine to do if anything,” the president said. “But I would prefer that we don’t use as retribution, canceling the $110 billion-worth of work, which means 600,000 jobs.”

“They have been a great ally in the Middle East. We need them as a counter-balance to Iran. So it’s not the simplest solution. It’s not the simplest situation to be in,” Trump reiterated, expressing hope that “it will get solved, it will get solved.”

Democratic U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal told CNN the Saudi explanation “absolutely defies credibility” and he called for an international investigation of Khashoggi’s death.

“The Saudis very clearly seem to be buying time and buying cover. But this action raises more questions than it answers and there is no way the world will wait for 30 days for a Saudi investigation to be done,” Blumenthal said.